


Smoothie Date

by Burgie



Category: Star Stable Online
Genre: Fluff, Other, readerxcharacter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-07
Updated: 2019-01-07
Packaged: 2019-10-05 22:06:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17333225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: Before Herman can take Syntax to Valedale to see his 'friends', you decide to ease Syntax's nerves.





	Smoothie Date

As Herman rides off on his large bay North Swedish, headed towards Valedale, you stay behind with Syntax.

"Wait," you say, raising your hand. Herman stops his horse and turns around to face the two of you.

"What's wrong?" Herman asks, cocking his head to one side.

"I'd like to stay for these smoothies," you say, seeing how nervous Syntax looks. "Just as long as Jamie Olivetree isn't making them."

"What's wrong with Jamie Olivetree's smoothies?" Syntax asks. You give them a strange look, wrinkling your nose up as you grimace.

"Knowing how that woman cooks? They're probably made of things that shouldn't be used as ingredients," you say, memories of a burning stove and fire extinguisher foam soaking into burnt blueberry muffins flashing through your mind. You still don't know how that one girl had managed to eat that disgusting muffin without vomiting everywhere. You'd felt a little ill just looking at it.

"Oh, don't be silly," says Sunshine. "Her smoothies are delightful! Why, I have them every day." Somehow, as you see Sunshine spinning around and giggling at what you can only assume are imaginary fairies, you aren't surprised that Sunshine drinks Jamie's smoothies.

"Jupiter said that they're very good," says Mrs X, frowning. "Why would he lie to us?"

"Well, I guess some people just have different tastebuds," you say, shrugging. "But who knows, it might be okay." Besides, you really want to enjoy a nice smoothie with Syntax before Herman drags them away on what you're beginning to suspect will be a mission with the druids. What the nature of the mission will be, you have no idea, but you are very worried for Syntax's safety. And Herman's, of course, considering he just got out of jail, but Syntax...

Well, Syntax just seems fragile. Gentle. Soft. Heck, they'd been near-panicking when you'd come back to hear the news that their attempts at hacking into GED had been unsuccessful, and you remember what they'd said about Ms Drake. You also haven't failed to notice how Syntax seems to be very afraid around horses. You need to talk to them about that, too, because you know better than anyone that horses will definitely be involved where the druids are involved.

That and... you genuinely like Syntax. Since first meeting them, the two of you have grown rather close. Not as close as you would like, though. You want to get to know Syntax, what makes them tick, what games they like to play, what they like to do in their spare time when they're not busy hacking. You want to know everything about this person, and a smoothie date seems like a good place to start. Even if it will be more of a celebration for breaking Herman out of GED's hold.

"Let's go get those smoothies, then," says Mrs X, and she leads the way across the Mirror Marshes. Syntax walks up close beside her, away from your 'scary' horse. And, well, you suppose that the Jorvik Warmblood is a big horse so you can see how Syntax would be intimidated, but your horse would never hurt a fly. Metaphorically speaking, anyway.

Once you reach New Hillcrest, you put your horse some distance away from the cafe, leaving it to make friends with the beautiful horses that are sold here in the town square of New Hillcrest. You walk over to Syntax, taking a seat at a table with them while Jupiter gathers the smoothie orders. Silencia, changed now out of her too-tight workers' uniform, looks delighted at the prospect of smoothies, grinning and clapping her hands together. You remember when you'd thought that she was a super-serious spy. Not anymore, now you've seen her true colours and know just how much of a theatre geek she really is. But for all of that, she's still a good spy.

"So, have you ever had smoothies from here before?" you ask Syntax, looking at them across the table.

"No, I usually just make my own," says Syntax. "That way, I know exactly what's in them."

"Oh," you say. "Do you have allergies or something?"

"No, I just like to know what's in my food," says Syntax, giving you a small, almost bashful, smile.

"It seems a bit strange that you're here, then, if you want to know what's in your smoothie," you say before you can stop yourself. You gasp and blush, covering your mouth with your hand. "Sorry, I didn't mean to say that." Syntax chuckles.

"What's so bad about the way Jamie cooks, anyway?" Syntax asks. You bite your lip, wondering if you should really say while you're sitting in Jamie's restaurant.

"Well..." you hedge, tapping your pointer fingers together and wishing that you had a drink to sip. "Let's just say that I worked for her for a short time and I wish I hadn't."

"Ah," says Syntax, nodding as though they understand completely. "First job horror stories, I get it."

"Yeah, let's go with that," you say, pushing your hair behind your ear. "Anyway, I'm sure it won't be so bad."

"I hope not," Syntax says. "After that scary mission, we deserve some smoothies."

"And before your next scary mission," you say. Syntax grimaces.

"Ugh, I'm not looking forward to that," says Syntax. "Why does everything in Jorvik have to be on horseback? Why couldn't I live in Jorvik City?"

"Why do you live here, anyway?" you ask. "Uh, if that isn't too personal, anyway." Darn it, where is Jupiter with your smoothie?

"Because of my job," says Syntax. "I always have to be in the area just in case I'm needed, you know?"

"Right," you say, nodding. "How did you... find this job, if I can ask that?"

"I think I can answer that," says Syntax, pursing their lips thoughtfully. They push their glasses up the bridge of their nose. "Not to sound like a typical spy in a spy movie, but I was poking around where I shouldn't have been and I was picked up by my current employer. I was terrified at first when Silencia suddenly dropped out of my ceiling vent." You snort laughter, suddenly glad that you're not drinking.

"That would scare me too," you say, trying to stifle your giggles. But, to your relief, Syntax is smiling too, probably regarding it as a fond memory now.

"I think I screamed so loud that my neighbours would've called the cops if Silencia hadn't slapped her hand over my mouth," says Syntax, grinning as they recount the tale to you. "Eventually, she managed to convince me to calm down and explained things to me. Apparently, I'd tripped something in my searching, and that got the boss interested. But I think that's all I can say on that matter. Sorry."

"That's okay," you say, just happy to have learned a little bit about them. "They picked me up when I was um... transporting Snowdrop here and it all went wrong." That makes sense, you could just be talking about a horse named Snowdrop.

"I remember that," Syntax says, smiling at you. Their smile makes your heart flip. "You rode right past me."

"You didn't say the right phrase," you tease.

"I was doing what my boss told me and keeping my mouth shut," Syntax says, looking quite proud of themselves. "Besides, you didn't need to see me right then." You wonder if they saw you looking at them when you'd ridden past, because even back then, you'd liked the look of them. You still do now, of course, you love their red hair and their cool t-shirt and their cute glasses and their beanie. In the mix of all of the people in New Hillcrest, dressed in modern or traditional clothing, Syntax sticks out like a sore toe. But a very good-looking sore toe. You blush and glance away before they can notice you staring.

"Finally, I was starting to think I'd need to drink water out of the horse troughs," you say with a laugh as you see Jupiter approaching holding two smoothies. He looks like he's concentrating, a thoughtful line creasing his brow. He looks up at you when you speak, setting the two drinks down in front of you.

"Oh yeah, sorry, there were just a lot of orders," says Jupiter with a chuckle. He straightens up, wiping his hand over his hair as though he's just undertaken some great task. "Syntax, I got you your favourite kale smoothie." Syntax makes a face until Jupiter laughs. "Only joking, your pineapple colada awaits."

"Thank you," says Syntax, taking the smoothie and peering at the yellow liquid within. They take a sniff, and you can smell the coconut and pineapple from where you're sitting. It smells delicious, and you suddenly regret ordering a strawberry smoothie.

"Do you want me to come with you to Valedale?" you ask Syntax after the two of you have slurped on your smoothies for a while. "I can help you get used to horses if you want, or give you my gentlest horse."

"Honestly? I think even a hobby horse might be a bit too much for me," says Syntax, gazing down sadly into their smoothie. "I'm just... I'm a city person, horses scare me." You smile sadly at them, placing your hand over theirs on the table.

"There's a rescue ranch over on South Hoof," you say. "I know you most likely don't have time right now but I can take you there once you've finished this mission, if you want."

"A rescue ranch?" Syntax echoes.

"Yeah," you say, the smile growing across your face. "A man named Hugh came to South Hoof and set the rescue ranch up. Well, he restored the old South Hoof ranch, anyway, and set it up as a rescue ranch. It's a place where humans and horses can come to heal. And it's really helped me over the past few weeks, what with everything going on."

"I've actually never been to South Hoof," Syntax says. "The wild herd sounds... scary, though."

"It looks beautiful," you say. "But I can see how some might find them scary." You remember standing with Madison in the middle of a stampeding herd, holding her close to you so that she wouldn't get trampled. "It's okay, though, I know where they usually run so we can just go up from the ferry to the ranch through the main farm."

"Sounds like you know where you're going," says Syntax, smiling at you. Being the source of that smile sends butterflies flitting through your stomach, and you reflexively smile back.

"Well, I've been here a while now, so I should," you say. "If you're up to it, and once you're used to horses more, I could show you some more of the island if you want." You're not sure how much of the island Syntax has seen, but if they're a city native as they say they are, then they probably haven't seen much up close and personal. You'd be more than happy to be their personal guide to the island, showing them the natural beauty of Jorvik from horseback. If they're up to riding, of course, if they ever reach that point.

"Well... as long as I'm not needed at work, and as long as you're not needed elsewhere, sure," says Syntax, their fingers tapping on the outside of their smoothie cup.

"Sweet, it's a date," you say, grinning. Syntax grins back at you, their cheeks as red as their hair.

"Or a... series of dates. You know, if it turns out like that. Since we'll be visiting multiple locations and probably won't be able to visit them all on the same day, what with travel time and all," says Syntax, murmuring the last words into their smoothie. You grin around your straw before slurping up some of your delicious strawberry smoothie. Maybe Jupiter helped with these, or maybe Jamie does better if she doesn't actually have to cook something, because these are good smoothies.

"A series of dates," you say, nodding. "I'll make sure to stock up on plenty of picnic supplies."

Somehow, you resist the urge to clink your plastic cups together while the two of you enjoy the remainder of your smoothies. Though, if you did raise a toast, it would be to future dates with Syntax.


End file.
